SOCCER: SuperClasico was anything but super

The latest installment of the Galaxy-Chivas USA SuperClasico always was going to be a tough sell at the ticket gate. | 100% SOCCER BLOG

Made-for-television 8 p.m. Sunday starts never are a formula for a bumper crowd in the best of times.

Add in a disintegrating host that equalled a club record seven-game losing streak on the night - a mark only just set at the tail end of last year's diabolical season - and an inconsistent opponent with just one win in the last five MLS games and you have a game only an East Coast insomniac would love.

Plus, the series long ago ceased to be competitive. The Galaxy have won eight of the last 10 meetings between the clubs and hammered home twice the number of all-time SuperClasico goals (42) Chivas USA have managed.

It was dispiriting that officially only just more than 14,500 showed up - and it was likely far fewer - for a game that should be a Southern California soccer showcase.

Even worse, this was a tedious nationally televised exhibition for MLS (albeit on little-watched cable channel UniMas).

Only Galaxy rookie Gyasi Zardes appeared intent upon delivering a crowd-pleasing performance while almost everyone else stumbled through an undistinguished game.

Moreover, MLS consistently fails to maximize the opportunities to make a good impression on potential new fans with scheduling that seems almost designed to rob teams of their best players.

It's no coincidence the Galaxy's recent loss of form coincided with the departure of dominant defender Omar Gonzalez to the U.S. national team for four games.

Landon Donovan likely will miss most of July playing for little more than a U.S. reserve team at the largely inconsequential Gold Cup.

And of course the repeated absences of striker Robbie Keane (Ireland) and Jose Villarreal (Under-20 World Cup) has weakened Arena's options even more.

Some of this is unavoidable, especially if the Galaxy wants players of Keane's class.

But often it is not and soccer's domestic and international governing bodies need to do a better job of minimizing such disruptions if only because the on-field product suffers, tarnishing the league's credibility and the sport's growth.

"The whole thing is foolish to be honest with you," Arena said, slamming as "crazy" the "skewed" contests that often are a consequence of the short-sighted policy. "It damages the competition. We have to find other ways to fit this schedule in where teams are not impacted by the FIFA calendar."

Otherwise, expect more "StuperClasicos" than "SuperClasicos" in the future.

U.S. STAYS ALIVE IN UNDER-20 WORLD CUP

The U.S. staved off elimination at the Under-20 World Cup with a 77 th-minute goal to tie France 1-1 Monday in Turkey after losing its opener 4-1 Friday to tournament favorite Spain.

The U.S. meets winless Ghana at 10 a.m. Thursday (live on ESPNU) with a place in the final 16 at stake.

The age group is an important proving ground for future senior national team players while top clubs have scouts on hand to mine young and relatively inexpensive prospects.

The 2007 version of the U.S. team, for instance, included current full U.S. internationals Michael Bradley and Josmer (as he was called back in the day) Altidore while Galaxy players Robbie Rogers and Brian Perk also were on the squad.

The current U-20 team includes a healthy contingent of Southern Californians, including the aforementioned Villarreal and Galaxy teammate Oscar Sorto. The U.S. sits third in the standings, three points behind France, which finishes group play Thursday against leaders Spain.

"We played poorly," coach Tab Ramos said of Monday's game. "Let's not forget France is a very important team in this tournament. We stay alive and now we go into the last (group) game hoping for the best."